56k and We’re On The Way!

Salve! Welcome back just in time for another snippet of today’s writing. As a reminder, be sure to subscribe to the blog for updates and faster-than-the-speed-of-downloads emails whenever I post! Also, I don’t send spam-style emails, so why not subscribe! I’ve reached 56,003 words today on the train as I’m traveling back from NYC. There’s definitely something about a nice train car and the slow rocking to help one type.

Or sleep.

Or both.

But fear not, typing I’ve done! Enjoy the snippet after the break!

“Prima Caesarina, I cannot recommend this plan. It leaves too much to chance!” Councilmember Xenolian Fundiomaus protested, practically spitting the smoking pipe out of his mouth. Aurelia examined him calmly, eyebrows raised in annoyance. “I merely mean to say” he continued, “it isn’t safe. I haven’t secured enough other votes on the council to overrule the governor’s decision. The civic legion is only partially behind us, and while the governor’s drawn a blind eye towards helping the loyalists in Noricum, that’s completely different from declaring for Constantine Tiberius Appius.”

“I must agree, Caesarina.” Alper said. “We don’t have the support yet. Let us get to Crali and Tuporalanis. I’m certain we could pull one of them to our side, then we have the votes.”

“There isn’t time. You told me we had to start the wheels moving by May if we plan on pulling legions out of Noricum and away from the east. The only way for that to happen is to declare Narbonensis for the rightful Emperor. If we wait too much longer, those legions will be trapped in Noricum for the winter.”

Fundiomaus leaned forward, pipe puffing furiously. His elderly hands shook as he tried to contain his agitation. “Who says we want them out of Noricum? With them trapped north of the passes, our volunteer forces will be able to quickly move into Italia. We could be in Rome in month if we use the train system.”

Sighing, Aurelia shook her head. “Just because my father can be ignorant of family ties doesn’t mean he hasn’t picked some intelligent members to lead his advisory council. Strategos Cyrecius, in particular, will have thought of what would happen if this province flips in the winter. He will have positioned blocking forces at critical rail junctions.” She looked down on a map of northern Italy, neighboring Narbonensis and Noricum. “Here, and here” she pointed at two smaller cities in northern Italia. “Once cut, those lines would be difficult to repair quickly, allowing substantial forces from the south or central Italia to be redeployed. Do any of us really think that the civic legion, even with volunteers, would be a match for trained and fully equipped legionnaires? We saw what happened in Noricum.”